Thermally responsive fuel control valve



' y 1966 F. H. SCHNEIDER 3,260,500

THERMALLY RESPONSIVE FUEL CONTROL VALVE Filed Feb. 20, 1962 INVENTOR. FRANK H. SCHNEIDER ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,260,560 THERMALLY RESPONSIVE FUEL CONTRGL VALVE Frank H. Schneider, Greensburg, Pa., assignor to Robertshaw Controls Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 174,594 6 Claims. (Cl. 251-232) This invention relates to an improved control device as well as to an improved valve assembly for such a control device or the like.

It is well known that various control devices may be provided for permitting or preventing a flow of fluid, such as fuel or the like, therethrough, in response to condition sensing means.

For example, control devices have been provided for permitting a flow of fuel therethrough to a main burner when the control device senses that a pilot flame is burning adjacent the main burner so that when fuel issues from the main burner the same will be ignited by the pilot burner. However, should the pilot burner cease to have a flame, the control device prevents the flow of fuel to the main burner until a flame is created at the pilot burner in any suitable manner whereby the control device functions as a safety device.

In such prior known control devices, the same each normally comprises condition sensing means which are adapted to actuate lever structure to open and close a valve member relative to its valve seat.

In the past, when it is desired torepair or replace such valve mechanism of the control device, it was found that the entire control device must be disassembled in order to permit such servicing operation whereby the servicing operation is relatively costly and time-consuming.

However, according to the teachings of this invention, an improved, self-contained valve unit is provided which is adapted to be detachably secured to such a control device in such a manner that the control device will operate in the above manner and should it be necessary to repair or replace the valve means thereof, the selfcontained valve unit of this invention can be readily detached as a unit from the control device whereby a new valve unit of this invention can be simply attached to the control device without dismantling the control device as in the past.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved control device having one or more of the novel features of this invention as set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved self-contained valve unit for such a control device or the like.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and where:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic, cross sectional view illustrating one embodiment of the control device of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view, partially broken away and illustrating the improved valve unit of the control device of FIGURE 1.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adaptable for forming a control device for controlling the flow of fuel in response to temperature or flame sensing means, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to provide other constructions as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, an improved control device of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a first housing 11 having a chamber 12 formed therein and adapted to be inter-connected to a source of fuel by an inlet port 13.

A second housing 14 is detachably interconnected to the first housing 11 and has an outlet passage 15 formed therein adapted to interconnect the chamber 12 with any desired structure, such as a main burner or the like, through conduit means (not shown).

The second housing 14 has an annular valve seat 16 leading to the outlet passage 15 thereof and carries a valve member 17 adapted to control the flow of fluid through the valve seat 16 in a manner hereinafter described.

For example, the valve member 17 may be adapted to be moved to the opened position thereof when a sensing bulb 18 senses that a flame exists at a pilot burner so that fuel from the source thereof can pass through the control device 10 to a main burner and be ignited by the flame at the pilot burner.

However, should the flame cease to exist at the pilot burner, the valve member 17 is moved to its closed position in a manner hereinafter described to prevent fuel from the source thereof to flow to the main burner.

Further details of one application of the control device 10 can be obtained by reference to the copending US. Patent application, Ser. No. 763,892, filed September 29, 1958 and entitled Control Apparatus for Fuel Burning Appliances.

The particular details of the control device 10 will now be described.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the second housing 14 has an annular recess 19 formed therein downstream from the valve seat 16 and is adapted to receive a retainer plate 20 in press fit relation therewith. Of course, the retainer 20 can be secured in the recess 19 or in any other suitable manner so that the retainer 20 will be carried by the housing 14.

The retainer 20 has a central aperture 21 passing therethrough and telescopically receiving an elongated, substantially cylindrical valve stem 22 interconnected at one end 23 thereof to the valve member 17 in any suitable manner. The other end 24 of the valve stem 22 has an annular recess 25 formed in the outer periphery thereof and respectively receiving a split retainer ring 26 which limits movement of the valve member 17 away from the retainer 20 whereby the aperture 21 in the retainer 20 guides movement of the valve member 17 relative to the housing 14 and also causes the valve member 17 to be carried by the housing 14 as a self-contained unit for a purpose hereinafter described.

The retainer 20 has a plurality of apertures 27 passing therethrough to interconnect together the portions of the outlet passage 15 on opposite sides of the retainer 20. While a plurality of such apertures 27 are illustrated in the drawings, it is to be understood that one or more such apertures 27 or other means may be provided to provide a flow of fuel through or around the retainer 20, as desired.

The valve member 17 includes an enlarged head 28 interconnected to the valve stem 22 and having an outwardly directed annular flange 29 providing a backing means for the valve member 17.

A face valve member 30 is held against the flange 29 by a retainer 31 press fitted on the enlarged portion 28, the face valve member 30 being cooperable with the valve seat 16 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1.

A compression spring 32 is disposed between the retainer 20 and the valve member 17 and respectively has opposed ends 33 and 34 engaging the retainer 20 and valve member 17 whereby the force of the compression spring 32 .tends to move the valve member 17 away from the valve seat 16 for a purpose hereinafter described. However, movement of the valve member 17 away from the valve seat 16 is limited by the split ring 26 carried by the valve stem 22 engaging the upper surface of the retainer 20.

As illustrated in FIGURES l and 2, the housing 14 has an externally threaded tubular portion 35 adapted to be threadedly received in a threaded bore 36 formed in the first housing 11, the second housing 14 having a hexagonal nut-like portion 37 to facilitate threading of the threaded portion 35 in the bore 36 of the first housing 11 and being adapted to engage against an end 38 of the first housing 11 to prevent fluid leakage between the housings 11 and 14.

If desired, suitable sealing gasket means (not shown) can be utilized between the housings 11 and 14 to further prevent fluid leakage.

The housing 14 has an outwardly directed tubular portion 39 that is externally threaded at 40 to threadedly receive an orifice adjusting cap 41 having an outlet orifice 42 formed in the upper end thereof.

A restriction member 43 is press vfitted in the end of the tubular portion 39 of the housing 14 and has a plurality of outwardly directed fins 44 defining passage means 45 therebetween to permit fuel below the restriction member 43 to flow to the orifice opening 42.

The restriction member 43 has a conical end portion 46 adapted to be received in the conically shaped orifice 42 formed in the orifice adjusting cap 41.

In this manner, by adjusting the telescoping relation between the adjusting cap 41 and the housing 14, a desired amount of restriction can be provided in the outlet passage means 15 to control the flow of fuel to the main burner or the like.

Therefore, it can be seen that the housing member 14 is readily detachable from the first housing 11 whereby the housing 14 carries the restriction means 43 and valve member 17 therewith so that the entire valve unit can be removed from the housing 11 and a new Valve unit replaced therein, when desired, without dismantling the complete control device to provide for such servicing operation.

Further, the housing 14 can be made out of bar stock while the housing 11 can be a die cast housing and the resulting valve seat 16 of the housing 14 will not have the disadvantage of porosity which would be the case if the same had been made out of die cast structure of the housing 11.

The interior of the sensing bulb 18 is interconnected to the interior of a bellows 47 by a conduit 48, the bellows 47 being disposed in the chamber 12 of the housing 11 and having a movable wall 49 carrying a ball 50 which is moved upwardly or downwardly in response to the contraction and expansion of the fluid within the sensing bulb 18 in a manner more fully described in the aforementioned copending patent application.

A bracket 51 is disposed in the chamber 12 in the housing 11 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner, the bracket 51 carrying two fulcrum members 53 and 54.

A first lever 55 is adapted to move about the fulcrum 53 and has an end 56 adapted to engage another lever 57 adapted to move about the fulcrum 54.

The lever 55 carries an adjusting member 58 threadedly received in a threaded bore 59 passing through the lever 55, the adjusting member 58 engaging the ball 50 of the bellows 47. The lever 57 is so constructed and arranged that an end 60 thereof is adapted to engage the valve member 17 of the housing 14 when the housing 14 is disposed in the position illustrated in FIGURE 1.

A compression spring 61 is disposed in the housing 11 and has one end 62 thereof engaging the housing 11 and the other end 63 thereof encompassing a downwardly directed portion 64 of the lever 57.

The force of the compression spring 61 tending to move the lever 57 in a counterclockwise direction about the fulcrum member 54 is greater than the force of the compression spring 32 tending to move the valve member 17 downwardly to cause clockwise movement of the lever 57.

The operation of the control device 10 will now be described.

When the sensing element 18 is not being heated by a flame existing at the aforementioned pilot burner, the bellows 47 is disposed in the collapsed position illustrated in FIGURE 1 whereby the force of the compression spring 61 holds the levers 55 and 57 in the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 to cause the valve member 17 to fully seat against the valve seat 16 and prevent a flow of fuel through the control device 10.

However, should a flame subsequently exist at the pilot burner in any suitable manner, the fluid in the sensing bulb 18 expands and causes the ball 50 carried by the bellows 47 to move downwardly to cause the lever 55 to pivot in a clockwise direction about the fulcrum 53 and cause clockwise pivoting of the lever 57 about the fulcrum 54 in opposition to the force of the compression spring 61 to permit the valve member 17 to follow movement of the end 60 of the lever 57 by the force of the compression spring 32 tending to move the valve member 17 away from the valve seat 16 whereby the valve member 17 is opened.

In this manner, fuel is adapted to flow from the inlet 13 of the control device 10 and through the opened valve seat 16 to the outlet passage 15 leading to the main burner or the like whereby the fuel issuing from the main burner will be ignited by the pilot burner.

If the flame at the pilot burner should cease to exist after the valve member 17 is disposed in the opened position thereof, the bellows 47 collapses, thereby permitting the levers 55 and 57 to move in a counter clockwise direction under the force of the compression spring 61 whereby the end 60 of the lever 57 moves the valve member 17 to its closed position in opposition to the force of the compression spring 32 to prevent the flow of fuel through the control device 10.

Therefore, it can be seen that an improved control device has been provided by this invention wherein the Valve means thereof is adapted to be responsive to any desired condition While the valve unit of the control device is adapted to be detached therefrom as a complete unit and be replaced without dismantling the entire control device.

Therefore, it can be seen that a control device has been provided by this invention wherein the same is adapted to control the flow of fluid therethrough in response to any desired condition.

Further, an improved valve unit is provided by this invention which is readily adapted to be disconnected from its respective control device without dismantling the control device as in the prior known structure.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a first housing having a chamber therein and having an inlet interconnected to said chamber, a second housing detachably interconnected to said first housing, and having an outlet passage formed therein, one of said housings having a valve seat separating said chamber from said passage, a retainer disposed in said passage and having an aperture passing therethrough, a valve member cooperable with said valve seat and having a stem slidably passing through said aperture of said retainer whereby said retainer guides movement of said valve member, biasing means disposed between said retainer and said valve member to tend to move said valve member in one direction relative to said valve seat, lever means disposed in said chamber and engageable with said valve member, and condition responsive means operatively interconnected to said lever means and opening said valve member when moved in one direction and closing said valve member when moved in another direction, said lever means comprising two levers slidably inter-connected together, one of said levers being slidable with said valve member and the other of said levers 'being slidable with said condition responsive means whereby said condition responsive means and said valve member are adapted to move in parallel paths, said levers being in sliding engagement with each other at a point intermediate said valve member and said condition responsive means.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second housing has said valve seat and said biasing means tends to move said valve member away from said valve seat.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said condition responsive means is a temperature sensing means.

4. In combination, a housing means having a chamber and having an inlet and an outlet leading to and from said chamber, a valve seat separating said chamber from said outlet, a retainer disposed in said outlet and having an aperture passing therethrough, a valve member cooperable with said valve seat and having a stem slidably passing through said aperture of said retainer whereby said retainer guides movement of said valve member, biasing means between said retainer and said valve member to tend to move said valve member in one direction relative to said valve seat, lever means disposed in said chamber and engageable with said valve member, and condition responsive means operatively interconnected to said 'lever means and opening said valve member when moved in one direction and closing said valve member when moved in another direction, said lever means comprising two levers slidably interconnected together, one of said levers being slidable with said valve member and the other of said levers being slida-ble with said condition responsive means where-by said condition responsive means and said valve member are adapted to move in parallel paths, said levers being in sliding engagement with each other at a point intermediate said valve member and said condition responsive means.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein spring means tends to move said one lever in a direction to close said valve member.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein said biasing means tends to move said valve member away from said valve seat.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,085,581 6/1937 Green 13765 2,120,669 6/1938 Hill 251241 2,237,377 4/1941 Thwaits 251-241 2,427,935 9/1947 Van Denberg et a1. 13765 2,469,074 5/ 1949 Mueller 15 81 1 8 2,588,674 3/1952 Van Den-berg et al. 13765 3,065,913 11/1962 Holzboog et a1, 23699 X 3,132,803 5/1964 Wantz et al. 23668 3,155,316 11/1964 Branson et al 23699 X ISADOR WEIL, Primary Examiner.

MARTIN P. SCHWADRON, Examiner.

D. ROWE, D. MATTHEWS, Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A FIRST HOUSING HAVING A CHAMBER THEREIN AND HAVING AN INLET INTERCONNECTED TO SAID CHAMBER, A SECOND HOUSING DETACHABLY INTERCONNECTED TO SAID FIRST HOUSING, AND HAVING AN OUTLET PASSAGE FORMED THEREIN, ONE OF SAID HOUSINGS HAVING A VALVE SEAT SEPARATING SAID CHAMBER FROM SAID PASSAGE, A RETAINER DISPOSED IN SAID PASSAGE AND HAVING AN APERTURE PASSING THERETHROUGH, A VALVE MEMBER COOPERABLE WITH SAID VALVE SEAT AND HAVING A STEM SLIDABLY PASSING THROUGH SAID APERTURE OF SAID RETAINER WHEREBY SAID RETAINER GUIDES MOVEMENT OF SAID VALVE MEMBER, BIASING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID RETAINER AND SAID VALVE MEMBER TO TEND TO MOVE SAID VALVE MEMBER IN ONE DIRECTION RELATIVE TO SAID VALVE SEAT, LEVER MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID CHAMBER AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID VALVE MEMBER, AND CONDITION RESPONSIVE MEANS OPERATIVE LY INTERCONNECTED TO SAID LEVER MEANS AND OPENING SAID VALVE MEMBER WHEN MOVED IN ONE DIRECTION AND CLOSING SAID VALVE MEMBER WHEN MOVED IN ANOTHER DIRECTION, SAID LEVER MEANS COMPRISING TWO LEVERS SLIDABLY INTERCONNECTED TOGETHER, ONE OF SAID LEVERS BEING SLIDABLE WITH SAID VALVE MEMBER AND THE OTHER OF SAID LEVERS BEING SLIDABLE WITH SAID CONDITION RESPONSIVE MEANS WHEREBY SAID CONDITION RESPONSIVE MEANS AND SAID VALVE MEMBER ARE ADAPTED TO MOVE IN PARALLEL PATHS, SAID LEVERS BEING IN SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER AT A POINT INTERMEDIATE SAID VALVE MEMBER AND SAID CONDITION RESPONSIVE MEANS. 